Little powerhouse: Research associate Smitha Rao, above, and J.-C. Chiao, professor of electrical engineering, designed a micro-windmill that can create energy to recharge cellphone batteries or generate power for a home.

Technology uses micro-windmills to generate power for phones, homes

A UT Arlington research associate and electrical engineering professor have designed a micro-windmill that generates wind energy and may become an innovative solution to cellphone batteries constantly in need of recharging and home energy generation where large windmills are not preferred.

Smitha Rao and J.-C. Chiao designed and built the device that is about 1.8 mm at its widest point. A single grain of rice could hold about 10 of these tiny windmills. Hundreds of the windmills could be embedded in a sleeve for a cellphone. Wind, created by waving the cellphone in air or holding it up to an open window on a windy day, would generate the electricity that could be collected by the cellphone’s battery.

Four UT Arlington Research Institute faculty members will play key roles on the Texas team that will develop safety systems for unmanned aircraft in a project hailed as a potential economic boon for the state and nation.

The team includes Frank Lewis, the Moncrief-O’Donnell chair at UTARI and an electrical engineering professor; Kamesh Subbarao and Atilla Dogan, both associate professors of mechanical and aerospace engineering; and Brian Huff, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering.

Their work will focus on decision and control systems, dynamic modeling, collision avoidance, positioning, and other issues related to the high performance, human interactions, and safety of unmanned aircraft, or drones, for civilian, law enforcement, military, and other uses.

The Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Initiative team, which is led by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, was named by the Federal Aviation Administration last week as one of the nation’s six major test sites for unmanned aircraft systems.

Individuals who held tickets to Cooper's postponed Nov. 11 program received emails earlier this week with instructions on how to claim early tickets.

Tickets to the Nov. 11 event will not be honored. Questions should be directed to the UTA Box Office at 2-9595.

Cooper's appearance in November was postponed due to the journalist being assigned to report on the massive destruction in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

Cooper took his background in war correspondence for Channel One News and ABC to CNN in 2001, where he reported on major breaking news stories and handled live coverage for the military conflict in Baghdad. His show, Anderson Cooper 360°, has aired on CNN since 2003. He has earned many accolades throughout his career, including several Emmys, a Peabody, and two GLAAD Media awards.

Winter green

Groundskeepers Robert Lee, above, and Jesus Camargo attend to flowers and ferns at the campus greenhouse. The greenhouse, located in the maintenance complex by the J.D. Wetsel Service Center, supplies plants for events around campus, such as banquets and Commencement.

Formula SAE team fifth in world

The success of UT Arlington's
Formula SAE race car program across three decades earned the program a top-five ranking in the world in the latest
Formula Student Combustion World Rankings, compiled by Formula Student Germany
e.V.

"This is a confirmation
of our leadership in Formula SAE and a well-deserved recognition of a job well
done by Professor Bob Woods and his teams throughout the years," says Professor Erian Armanios, chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.

UTA was fifth of 513 ranked
teams around the world. The program was the highest-ranked of any U.S. program and was joined in the top 10 by the University of Washington (7) and the
University of Akron (8).

Earthy donation

Representatives of Pioneer Natural Resources, an Irving-based independent oil and gas company, signed a commitment of $300,000 in support of research programs and scholarships in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. At the signing were, from left, President Vistasp Karbhari; E.G. "Skip" Rhodes, director of new plays and shale technology; Louis Goldstein, vice president of corporate geoscience; and Pamela Jansma, dean of the College of Science.

MavsArt exhibit seeks submissions

The UT Arlington Libraries are accepting
submissions from UTA students, staff, and faculty for the spring 2014 MavsArt
exhibit.

Both 2-D and 3-D submissions are accepted. Applications to
display works are accepted through Thursday, Feb. 13. Artwork will be displayed on the first floor of Central Library through the spring semester starting Thursday, Feb. 20.

MavsArt is a semester-long program that showcases
the artistic talents of UT Arlington students, staff, and faculty. The first MavsArt exhibit featured cartoons, digital
art, photography, Victorian hair mourning, assemblage pieces, and traditional
paint on canvas.

Submit nominations by Friday, Jan. 17, to the Provost's Office. Nominations will be evaluated by members of the Academy of Distinguished Scholars, who will forward a recommendation to Provost Ronald Elsenbaumer and Vice President for Research Carolyn Cason.

For details, call the Office of the Provost at 2-2103.

Thursday, Jan. 16

Partnering with Your Boss Learn skills to help you support your department's goals from your position as a secretary, executive secretary, or member of the administrative support staff. Register online. Free. 9-11 a.m., J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Friday, Jan. 17

Tuesday, Jan 21

Conducting Effective Meetings Explore the basic keys to conducting
effective meetings that will help your team get the right information and then
get the job done. Learn insights and tools for virtual meetings. Free. 9-11
a.m., Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Monday, Jan. 27

Unmanned Systems Consortium Leaders in the unmanned
systems field gather to discuss their current work and the future of
these advanced technologies. RSVP by Friday, Jan. 17, to 2-5921 or utari-events@uta.edu. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., UTA Research Institute.

Mavericks on home court after games at Texas State

The basketball teams return to College Park Center after facing rival Texas State in San Marcos this week.

The women's team plays Troy at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, and South Alabama at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. The Maverick men face Troy at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, and South Alabama at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25.

Texas State took Wednesday night's game 68-60 against the women's team. The men's team plays Texas State on Saturday, Jan. 18, in San Marcos.

Both Maverick teams lost to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. The women fell 66-64 and the men’s team, which lost 90-70 to ULL, won 83-79 in overtime against Louisiana-Monroe last Thursday.

Sports shorts

• The Movin' Mavs wheelchair basketball team and Paralympic Sport Arlington/UTA DFW Freewheelers each were undefeated at the Pioneer Classic at Lakeshore Foundation last weekend. UTA went 5-0 and the Freewheelers were 6-0. The Movin' Mavs play again Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Wichita, Kan.

• The women's tennis team takes on TCU at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, in Fort Worth. The Mavs are at home against Dallas Baptist and Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 8, Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Feb. 13, and Wichita State on Feb. 15.

Ongoing

Gallery 76102: Beyond Memory Paintings by people with dementia are part of Memories in the Making, an art program of the Alzheimer's Association. Paintings are available through an online auctionJan. 16-25. Calendars, note cards, and small matted paintings are for sale at the event. Gallery hours noon-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. Opening reception 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16. Through Saturday, Jan. 25. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

The Gallery at UTA: Faculty Biennial XIV This exhibition shows what Department of Art and Art History professors accomplish in their creative endeavors outside the
classroom. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mondays-Fridays and noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Through Feb. 8. Art and Art History, The Gallery at UTA.

The Maverick Lens: Views from the Library This annual photo exhibit reflects the diversity of learning, living, and working at UT Arlington. See also "50 Years of Views." 8 a.m.-7 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Through March 5. UT Arlington Library.

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